Bicycle-lock.



No. 654,672 Patented luly 3l, |900.

H. T. RICH.

BICYCLE LOCK.

(Appliction led Sept. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

U umass-mag .PATENT FFICE. u

HARRY fr; Rica, or LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS..

'sincrrca'rron ftaiing part f Letters Patent No. 654,672, dats July e1, ieo'o. Applause alaspi'emaf`,19e. sans no. 729,541. da maar To @ZZ zbwi, it may connerie:

se a known that 1, HAR-Rrr. arci-1,@ Cat.

yzen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in

the county of Essex and State f Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Bicycle'- Iiock, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to' improvements in bicycle-locks; l j

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of bicycle-locks and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and eiiicient one adapted to be readily applied to the` rear forks of a bicycle and capable of being arranged to form a temporary locking device.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and'arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, `and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings forming a portion of 'this specification, and in which like reference- 'numerals designate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a View showing a portion of the rear fork of a bicycle, the 5 wheel being shown in section, and indicating the location and theoperation of the lock. Fig. 2 is a section taken transversely of the fork above the lock and showing the position of the locking-arm with respect t a spoke of a wheel. Fig.A 3 is a detail view, partially in section and partially `in elevation, showing the location and operation of the arm-holding spring when the arm `is iu its ,operative-posi,

tion. Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 and showing the arm in its inoperative position".`

Referring now to the drawings, 5 and. 6` represent the sides of the rear fork of a bicycle-frame, to one of which iswiixed a lock-cas! ing 7, having thegnature of a padlock-casing and provided withan opening for the recep- ,tion of a locking-arm, which isheld in engagement therewith by a locking-bolt in the same manner as the bail of apadlock. Fixed to the opposite fork side 6 is a collar 8, having a U -shaped block 9, formed integral therewith, and comprising two parallel side portions 10 and 11. Intermediate these side portions 10 and 11 is pivoted one end bf a locking-arm 12, the opposite end ot which is provided with an upwardly-extending lug 13, which is adapted i to enter the opening in the lock-casing 7, and

which lug has avnotch 14 for the reception of` the locking-bolt, throiigh the medium of which.

Ithe lug is held within the casing and the locking-arm held `transversely of the rear fork within the inclosure of the rear wheel and between the spokes thereof. The pivoted end lof the arm is'squared, as shown, and in order `t hold "the arm in both its retracted position ,and its engaging position, or operative position, a spring-plate 15 is riveted to the upper face of the block y9 and extends to a point between the parallel portions 10 and 11, after which it is bent downwardly to lie snugly `against the end of the arm l2 when said arm :is in its locking position. unlocked, it is swung downwardly, and its lower corner at the pivoted end engages the spring-plate 15 and presses it backwardly, after which as the arm is further .lowered When the arm is the spring is gradually releasedA and lies Hat against the side of Vthe arm, as shown in Fig.

4, and holds the arm yieldably in that position.

at one side of the bicycle and also when the` Vlocking-bar is extended horizontally acrossI the space between the rear forks, and by this construction the locking-bar may be held in a horizontal position to latch the wheel without manipulating `the lock; also,the spring will prevent the locking-bar from accidentally swinging inward and` contacting with the wheel whenfthe bicycle is in motion.

[Any suitable form of locking` `mechanism may be employed within the casing 7, and the clamps 0r collars for engaging the lfraine of the bicycle may be constructed in anysuitable manner.

Itwill further be seen thatwhen desired a number of bicycles may be locked. together through the medium of this single lockby passing a chain through the wheels of the several bicycles and engaging the rings at the ends of the chains with the locking-bar of the bicycle-lock.

As clearly shown in Figs. 2 and i of the IOO inverted- L shape, the horizontal shank member thereof kbeing held between the sides of the substantially U -shaped bracket 9 and closing the space therebetween.l The pendent clined ground and when it is not desired to lock the wheel against unauthorized use of the bicycle. l

From the foregoing descriptionit will be apparent Vthat there has been provided a lockspring arm or member extends between the sides of the bracketand is flexibly movable` longitudinally between said sides and beneath the horizontal shank, which latter covers the space between the spring member and-the outer closedrend ofthe bracket, so as to pren-g. vent the lodgment of vforeign matter between 0 the sides of the bracket, and thereby guardsV againstinter'ference withthe proper move= ment `of the spring member. y

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings' it will be seen that the spring 15 alternately i engages the adjacent angularly-'disposed side and end portions of the lockingbar, so as to support the latter in both its inoperative and operative'positions. By reason of this arrangement the locking-bar may be thrown upwardly and held .byy the spring until the locking mechanism has been operated to `ixedly support. the bar. As the locking-bar is thus held by the spring it requires but one hand-to perform the. two operations, thereby i leaving the other hand free to support the bicycleor for any other desired purpose.

will also be observed that as the spring automatically snaps into engagement with the adjacent end of the locking-bar when the latterv l is thrown upwardly said bar will be temporakrily held in its `operative position between'ad- `jacent spokes of `the wheel, and therefore it is not essential that the bar be xedly locked, f (as. itwill eectually prevent accidental turn- .A ing of vthe wheel-as, 'for instance, upon in`i l -ing-arm which 1s spring-extended 1n its oper.- ative position to lie between adjacent spokes of the bicycle-wheel, and .is also held in its inoperative position by the same means. What I claim isa- .t A device of the class described comprising the lock 'V7-provided in its casing with an opening and designed to be arranged on one side of lthe-'rear fork of abcycle-t'rame and `having a clam-p for engaging the same, the clamp 8 for engaging the other side of the rear fork, the block xed tothe clam-p Sand having projecting sides extending toward the lock, the

locking-bar 12 pivotedfat oneend` between the sides of the block and arranged-to swing across the space between the rear'forks, and provided at its other end with a lug extending into an opening of the lock-casing, and a spring mounted on vthe-blockfand engaging the pivoted end of the locking-bar and hold- ,ing the lug thereof-in thecasing of the lock, to provide a temporary locking device, said spring being also adapted to hold thel lockingbar at oneside of the fork tol prevent it from swinginginward` and engaging the spokes of thewheel, substantially as described.

Intestimony that I 'claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. l

I` HARRY T. RICH. VVitne'sses.: f

t. l C.` ELLswoirrnv Harem i ,y CHAs. S. YIALL. e v 

